Landing is typically the most demanding aspect of flight. The landing operation is particularly difficult during low visibility or nighttime conditions. To improve safety, especially in low visibility or nighttime conditions, some airports and aircraft are equipped with an instrument landing system (ILS). Generally, an ILS includes one or more localizer and glideslope transmitters arranged on the ground that emit modulated signals that are received by corresponding receivers on the aircraft. From these signals, an aircraft controller generates horizontal and lateral guidance for implementation by the operator or an auto-pilot system. Although conventional ILS can provide improved safety and guidance for the landing operation, such systems are not infallible. For example, in some situations, the ILS of the aircraft may receive signals associated with a glideslope path of an incorrect runway or receive partial or disrupted signals associated with the correct runway.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide systems and methods that improve safety during a landing approach, particularly in conjunction with ILS operation. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the invention and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention.